Shoe form



y- 1943 B. E. WAL\STROM 2,319,650

SHOE FORM Filed Jan. 19, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 18, 1943 a WALSTROM 2,319,650

SHOE FORM Filed Jan. 19, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 18, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT I OFFICE SHOE FORM Brother E. Walstmm, Buchanan, Mich. Application January 19, 1942, Serial No.'427,276

" 2 Claims. (01. 12-1291) :This invention relates to a shoe-form, and :more particularly is concerned with an article 10f manufacture for supporting shoes when not :in use, and maintaining said shoes in proper shape and condition to prevent cracking of the soles thereof or deformation of the shoe shape.

Forms for this purpose have long been known, including shoe trees, which are placed inside of a shoe and clamped in position to hold the toe and vamp portion of the shoe against wrinkling, but such forms have been found undesirable-in that the clamping pressure produces a pull at the welt of the shoe, causing the sole edge to turn upwardly, thereby distorting the natural shape of the shoe from that originally provided therein.

The present invention contemplates maintaining the sole of the shoe perfectly fiat and straight, regardless of whether the shoe has been ,wet or not, and also providing for holding the vamp of the shoe against creasing or wrinkling, whereby the shoe is maintained in its original form throughout its life.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will appear more fully from the following detailed description which, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, will disclose to those skilled in the art the particular construction and operation of a preferred form of the present invention.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a top plan view of a shoe form according to the present invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view thereof;

Figure 3 is an end view taken substantially on line 33 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 44 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 illustrates the shoe in position in the form;

Figure 6 shows a modified construction which may be employed; and

Figure 7 is an end view of the construction shown in Figure 6.

Referring now' in detail to the drawings, in Figure 1, the shoe form shown comprises a base portion -5 conforming in general outline to the sole of a shoe having the toe portion 6 and the rear end portion I terminating just short of the rear arch portion of the shoe immediately adjacent the forward edge of the heel.

It is to be understood that the shape of form 5 can be varied within wide limits to suit various sizes of shoes, and also various sole shapes, depending upon whether or not the shoe is of the pointed toe type, the box toe type, and similar general shoe shapes.

This form may be made of any suitable material, such as aluminum, or a similar light-weight metal, wood, plastic, or any material which has suiiioient rigidity to hold its shape under stress and which can be readily molded or machined to the desired shape. The body portion 5 of the form is provided with vertically extending flange portions 8 and 9, each of these flange portions terminating at its upper end in an inturned edge ill and II, respectively. It will be noted that the flange 8 is arcuate in shape, and extends an appreciable distance along the outer curvature of the sole form 5, while the flange 9 is of shorter length and extends along what would be termed the inner side of the shoe. The depth of the channels I2 formed by the flanges 8 and 9 may be varied, depending upon sole thicknesses, but for a given type of shoe, will be substantially uniform throughout a wide range of sizes. It is contemplated that in commercial production, it will be necessary to use only about three shoe forms for each type of shoe, generally consisting of a small, medium and large size, since, due tn the tapered or converging characteristics of the flanges 8 and 9, a number of sizes within a given range may be accommodated in a single form.

In Figure 5 the shoe form 5 is shown with a shoe fitted therein. It will be noted that the edge of the sole l3 of the shoe I4 is forced into the channels 8 and 9, and the entire shoe is moved forwardly until the sole is firmly wedged into the channels. This clamps the shoe sole securely to the form 5. The rear edge I of the form, as noted, terminates short of the heel portion l5 of the shoe, and, due to the length of the form 5, as compared to the length of the shoe, the entire rear portion of the shoe overhangs the form, and consequently the weight of this portion acts as a cantilever to stretch out the vamp portion N5 of the shoe to. hold the same against creasing, while the sole is maintained perfectly flat on the upper surface of the form 5. Due to this cantilever action, the shoe upper is maintained in proper shape while the sole is firmly held clamped in a fiat position on the surface of the form so that if the shoe has become wet, it will dry in its natural shape without curling of the sole edges or the like. This is of distinct advantage, and insures that the shoe, when placed in the form, will assume its original shape and will not have the sole thereof curved by reason of the pressure of a shoe tree or the like.

In Figure 6, I have shown a modification of the construction wherein the rear end of the form 5' is extended and carries a pair of vertikles or creases in the vamp portion of the shoe. The central portion of the stud 22 is journalled in a suitable boss 23, and the clamp portions 20 have suitable ears or lugs 24 riding in slots 25 to maintain them against rotation. The clamping action thus provided is similar to that obtained in roller skate clamp, and positively holds the heel in any desired position. This can be employed to create a tension stress in the vamp IS in the shoe, tending to remove any creases or folds therein. This also exerts an increased pressure of the sole H3 in the channels 8 and 9, clamping it firmly in position and insuring that it will not change its form from the original shape in which it was manufactured.

I am aware that various changes may be made in certain details of the present construction, and I therefore do not intend to be limited except as defined by the scope and spirit of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A unitary shoe form comprising a planar body portion of rigid material in the general shape of a sho sole, and integral means on said body portion rising upwardly from the lateral edges of said body portion and forming converging channel-like grooves adapted to engage the edge of the sole of a shoe pressed over said body portion, said means extending only along a portion of the lateral edges of said body portion, whereby the unsupported rear end of a shoe engaged therein will be free to hang downwardly for straightening the vamp portion of said shoe by the depending weight thereof.

2. The shoe form defined in claim 1 further characterized in that said flanges converge toward the toe portion of saidbody portion so that the soles of shoes of varying width may be wedged therein, said body portion being of such area and length as to rest solidly on its support against the overturning tendency of the unsupported rear end .of a shoe clamped therein.

BROTHER E. WALS'I-ROM- 

